Mailbag: Tuning Tips for a Modified Chevy 350
Q: I have a 1973 Nova with a GM 350 crate engine. The engine has Trick Flow 23° cylinder heads, a Lunati cam, Edelbrock Performer intake, an Edelbrock Performer 600 cfm carb, and an MSD HEI distributor. The car also has a Turbo 350 transmission with a 2,500 stall lockup converter, Richmond 3.73 gears in
Mailbag: Troubleshooting 440 Engine Detonation at High Altitudes
Q: I own a 1983 Dodge Ramcharger with a 1970 440 engine. The engine is bored .040 inch over, has a forged crank, flat top pistons, and ‘452’ cast heads—the original ‘906’ cast heads were eaten up by unleaded fuel. It also has a Weiand Action Plus intake, a Holley 750 vacuum secondary carb, a
Mailbag: Breathing Life Into a Wheelchair-Friendly 5.0L-Powered Ford E-150 Econoline
Q: Back in the day, my buddies and I used to rule the local dragstrips. The memories! Today, I’ve got gray hair and I’m mostly stuck in a wheelchair, but I still want my ride to have plenty of get-up-and-go. My wheelchair van is a 1992 Ford E-150 with a Mark III conversion. It has
Mailbag: Why Did Ford Change the Firing Order on the 5.0L 302 H.O. Engine?
Q: I’m building a Ford 302 engine, and I’m looking at camshafts. I’m curious—why did Ford change the firing order on the 5.0L (302) HO engine? A: This question gets a lot of mileage on internet forums, and there’s no shortage of speculation on the subject. According to Ford Motor Co. engineers, the 5.0L H.O.
Mailbag: LT1 Corvette Intake Upgrade for a GM L83 LT Engine
Q: I have a Gen. Five, LT-series 5.3L L83 engine that’s going into my 1975 Chevy Monza. The factory intake manifold is too tall to clear the stock hood, so I need a lower-profile intake. Can I use the intake from a newer Corvette LT1? *** A: Yes, the LT1 intake will bolt up to your
Mailbag: What Lifters Should I Use For My 360 Dodge Magnum Cam Swap?
Q: I’m building a 360 Dodge Magnum engine, and want to install a performance hydraulic roller camshaft. I can’t find the replacement OEM lifter alignment bars that the stock roller lifters require. Is there another lifter option for this engine? A: Yes! You can use Howards Cams retrofit hydraulic roller lifters. They work in both LA
Mailbag: Can I Overbore a 267 to Power My ’65 Chevy Truck?
Q: My father gave me a 267 Chevy small block that came from a Malibu. I’d like to drop it into my 1965 Chevy truck but I don’t think it’s a strong-enough engine. I was planning to overbore it to a 305 and put in a Scat 4340 forged crank and H-beam rods. Then I’m
Mailbag: Rejuvenating an Old 454 Big Block Chevy
Q: I have a 1973 454 big block Chevy. It has a 8.5:1 compression, stock oval port cylinder heads, a Crane PowerMax camshaft, and Edelbrock Performer intake, and a Holley 750 cfm carburetor. The engine needs an overhaul but I would like to retain the stock cylinder heads and intake. What would I need to
Mailbag: Finding Low-End Power in a Sluggish 350-Powered 1981 Firebird
Q: I have a 1981 Pontiac Firebird with a Chevy 350 in serious need of some more low-end power! It has a Holley Dominator manifold and a 750 cfm car, 305 heads, a .480”-lift cam, Hedman Hedders into a 3” Flowmaster exhaust, a Powertrax limited-slip differential with 3.73 gears, and a TH-350 tranny with 2,200-2,500
Mailbag: Curing Unwanted Vibration in a 5.0L-Powered ’66 F-100 Pickup
Q: Help! I have a 1966 Ford F-100 pickup with a transplanted 5.0L from a 1991 Mustang and the following mods: Ford Performance cam (220° duration/.498″ lift), Airflow Research CNC-ported 185 cylinder heads, Edelbrock Performer intake manifold, Holley 600 cfm carb, B&M flexplate with a 50 oz. balance, TCI C-4 Street Fighter transmission, and a TCI




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